Equality Impact Assessment

What is an Equality Impact Assessment?

An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) is a means of understanding the likely or actual impacts of a private or public organisation’s practices, policies, interactions, and decision making. Evidence-based and systematic, they aim to remove barriers to access and eliminate discrimination and are typically used to analyse all of a business’ or public sector organisation’s activities, internal and external.

Once an Equality Impact Assessment has been taken place, it should be used to inform decision making and feed into the development and adaptation of plans so they don’t harm individuals covered by the Equality Act 2010’s protected characteristics:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion or belief
• Sexual orientation
• Sex

Since 2012, public bodies have not been legally obliged to carry out Equality Impact Assessments, however, they still must demonstrate due regard to the Equality Act 2010 in their decision making. This means a tried and trusted means of assessing equality of access is still a valuable tool.

Impact assessment, training, and guidance – a complete Equality Impact Assessment service

Our Equality Impact Assessment services include:

• Producing an Equality Impact Assessment template
• Advising on process, policies, and procedures
• Conducting an EIA on your behalf
• Giving practical guidance on completing a Cumulative EIA
• Training your staff in undertaking their own EIA
• Guidance for your suppliers on conducting an EIA

Equality Impact Assessment training workshops for your staff

If your organisation conducts many impact assessments, we can train your in-house learning and development teams in EIA, backed up by our bespoke training toolkits. Delivered face-to-face or via our e-learning platform, our training will ensure your staff can cascade their learning throughout the business or public body.

EW Group has almost 30 years of expertise in Equality Impact Assessment and analysis

We have carried out complex data reviews, Equality Impact Assessments and action planning across the health sector, transport, local authorities, and trade unions.

We performed a ground-breaking public consultation for Serco into socio-economic barriers to local communities using the Docklands Light Railway. We completed an EIA for Transport for London on the sharing of Greenways by disabled and non-disabled users. And recently we worked with JC Decaux – the world’s largest outdoor advertising company – to embed EIA best practice across their UK operations, enabling them to deliver world-class contracts for their public sector clients.